FoCS Chapters 3 and 4 Flashcards

1
Q

What is a microprocessor?

A

Millions of shrunk transistors on a single semiconductor integrated circuit. They lessened the cost of computers and are more powerful.

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2
Q

Why were transistors made?

A

To shrink the sizes of computers

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3
Q

What is Moore’s Law?

A

A law that suggests that the complexity of an integrated circuit, with respect minimum component cost, doubles every 24 months.

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4
Q

Which three projects delivered a complete microprocessor at about the same time?

A

Intel’s 4004, Texas Instruments’ TMS 1000, and Garrett AiResearch’s Central Air Data Computer

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5
Q

What is a computer-on-a-chip?

A

A variation of a microprocessor that combines the CPU, some memory, and input/output lines, all in one chip.

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6
Q

Describe each microprocessor version and its timeframe.

A

4-Bit - (1971)
Basically mini calculators and simple games

8-Bit - (1972)
Took off the revolution of home computers, but mainly started off for hobbyists

16-Bit - (1973)
The first computers used for everyday work

32-bit - (1980)
Stores large quantities of data

64-bit - (2000’s)
Unbelievable memory storage

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7
Q

What is embedded equipment?

A

A computer-in-a-chip embedded in other devices (ex. car, washing machine.)

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8
Q

What is a multi-core processor?

A

A single chip that contains more than one microprocessor core.

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9
Q

What does RISC stand for and what is it?

A

Reduced Instruction Set Computer

Microprocessors which were used in special purpose machines and Unix workstations, but have become universal in all roles except the Intel-standard desktop.

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10
Q

What is MIPS and what does it stand for?

A

Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipelined Stages

A reduced instruction set computer (RISC) instruction set architecture (ISA) developed by MIPS Computer Systems. It was popular for 64-bit computing

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11
Q

Name some examples of Special-Purpose Microprocessors.

A

GPU’s, DSP, and Microcontrollers

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12
Q

What do computer operating systems provide?

A

A set of functions used by most applications and necessary linkages to control computer hardware

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13
Q

The evolution of computer applications and their complexity led to what?

A

OS necessities

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14
Q

What did early computers lack?

A

Any form of operating system

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15
Q

What did IBM develop that became useful for businesses?

A

The system/360 series

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16
Q

What is UNIX?

A

An operating system developed at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the 1970’s.

17
Q

What did home computers have built in?

A

BASIC interperator on ROM (read-only memory)

18
Q

What does RAM and BIOS stand for?

A

RAM - Random Access Memory

BIOS - Basic Input/Output System

19
Q

What do you have to do before the test?

A

Read the chapters, timeline, scavenger hunt, and wiki page!

20
Q

When was Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) founded and what did it make?

A

1957

It made electronic modules for test, measurement, prototyping and control markets

21
Q

When was Wang Laboratories founded and what did it make?

A

1973

Calculators and word processors

22
Q

Describe a Raspberry Pi

A

A Raspberry Pi is a single board credit card sized computer.

23
Q

Who invented FORTRAN and when did they do it?

A

John Backus in 1957

24
Q

What is Mathematica and who invented it and when?

A

Mathematica is a symbolic mathematical programming language made by Stephen Wolfram in 1988.

25
What does CDC stand for?
Control Data Corporation.
26
What is Microsoft Windows and when did it start?
1975 (at least the idea) 1985 (first published to the public) group of several proprietary graphical operating system families
27
Who were the founders of Microsoft?
Bill Gates and Paul Allen
28
Which windows version was the first to have internet?
Windows 95
29
In Windows NT, what does NT stand for?
New Technology
30
Which windows version was the most popular and celebrated?
Windows XP